Sheet-metal safe.



P. S. MlLLiCE & M. MUELLER.

SHEET METAL SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14.1915.

1 3 15 0,6 1 3 Patented Aug 17, 1915.

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P. S. MILHCE 6: M. MUELLERa SHEET METAL SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14.1915.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

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SHEET METAL SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED :AN. 14. 1915.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

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PAUL S. MILLIGE AND MARTIN MUELLER, OE HAMILTON, HIO,'ASSI GNORS TO HERRING-HALL-MARVIN SAFE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHEET-METAL SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1'7, 1915.

Application filed January 14, 1915. Serial No. 2,117.

" Sheet-Metal Safes, of which the following is a specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Our invention relates to that species of safes and cabinets formed of sheet metal, preferably of high tensile steel, the members comprising our safe construction being assembled and joined together so as to form a double. walled structure, which may be used in various relations, though particularly available for fire-proof safes and the like. Such fire proof safes have hitherto,

for the most part, been made of cast iron frames with flat plates riveted thereto, the intervening spaces being filled with a hydraulic cement compound.

The objects of our invention, among other things, are to provide a sheet-metal safe which shall be simple andeconomical in its formation and structure, and easily'assembled; also to so form the body structure that an extremely rigid sheet-metal wall construction is obtained with a minimum number of welded joints, doing away entirely with rivets to form a union of the parts or members comprising the outer shell structure'; also to provide an improved safe construction of sheet-metal in which the passage of heat or flame through either the wall structure itself, or the door joints is fully and effectively prevented when the safe is subjected to fire or heat.

A further advantage of our invention is the construction of sheet-metal safes which shall have the massive appearance desirable in articles of this character, yet embodying a comparatively light structure, the parts comprising which will have a certain degree of elasticity and expansion under the action of heat. This feature of construction efl'ec- 1 tively prevents the safes from being broken or cracked in case of the falling of the safe, for example in the collapse, through fire, of the floor upon which the safe is located, or should a heavy body fall upon the safe through the floor above.

Further objects relating to the construction and formation will more fullyand definitely appear in this specification.

We accomplish the objects of our invention by a structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure-1 is a front view; Fig. 2 is a top plan view Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on-the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 is a detail view of plate 38 shown in 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional View;

taken on the line 55of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6 is 311-6111 larged perspective detailed view taken on the line 6-6 shown in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view looking in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken ,on the line 8.8 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. 1

As herein illustrated, our improved sheetmetal safe, or cabinet, comprises a top 1 (Figs. 2 and 8), a bottom 2 (Figs. 3, 5, 6, and 9), sides 3 (Figs. 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9), back 4 (Figs. 3, 5, 6), and front 5, consisting of r ing these component members permits them 7 to warp or buckle under the action of a high degree of heat without opening any seams through which flames or hot gases can enter. The connections between the plates constitute a slip joint, as distinguished from a nonyieldable connection efiected by the use of rivets which are apt to be sheared by the force of expansion under the action of heat.

The top 1 of the safe (Figs. 2, 3, and 8) consists of a plate 9 turned over along its side edges at 10 to form grooves arranged to engage similar grooves 11 formed along the adjacent edges of corner members 12 and 13 of angular formation, the corner members .12 and 13 being located at the sides of the safe and at the upper ends thereof. The

front and rear edges of said top plate 9 are also turned overto form grooves 14 and 15 (Fig. 8) arranged to engage similar grooves 15 and 16 formed along the adjacent edges of the horizontally disposed flanges 17 and 18 of the back member 4, and the front member 5 respectively, the flange 17 of the back member 4 being located at the upper end thereof, the flange 18 being carried by the upper front member 5. The front members 5 5 are welded together at 19 to form a substantially one piece front. Each front member 5 is provided with an inwardly d1- rected flange provided with a groove 16 along its edge, one only being shown.

The top and bottom front members 5 are further provided with an inwardly extending flange 20 (see Figs. 7 and 8, one only being shown) formed to provide door jamb" members 21, 22, and a top 23 of an intermediate inner compartment 24; the top 23 of said inner compartment 24' is provided wlth an upstanding flange 25, to be hereinafter referred to.

The flanges 18, 23 and 25, and the remaining member 26, of the top front member 5 are struck out of one piece of sheet-metal.

The side members 5 of the front (one only being shown in Fig. 9) are formed in a similar manner, that is to say, they consist of the exterior flange 27 and inwardly directed flange 28 having the jamb portion 29 and side member 30 for the intermediate interior chamber 24, the side member 30 being provided with a flange 31 to coiiperate with the flange 25 of the front members 5 for connection with the side partition walls 32 one only being shown in Fig. 9), and the upper and lower walls 33 (one only being shown in Fig. 8) for a central inner compartment 34. The flanges 28 and 27 are integral with the member 35 of the front members 5". The exterior flange 27 carries a turned-up edge 36 to provide a groove 37. I

The sides 3 of the safe or cabinet consist of plates 38 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 9) having the ends thereof turned-up at 39 and 40 (Fig. 9) to form grooves. The turned-up edge 40 of each plate 38 engages the grooves 37 in the front members 5". The turned-up edge 39 of said plates engages the groove 41 provided by turning over the adjacent ,edge 42 of the flanges 43 of the back member 4. The back member 4 consists of a plate 44 havmg the flanges 17 top and bottom (Fig.

- 8) and flanges 43 at the sides thereof.

(Fig. 9

It will be seen that the top 1 of the safeis formed by the plate 9 which is interlocked with the flange 17 of the back 4, the flange 18 of the top front member 5 and flanges 11 of the side corner members 12 and 13.

The bottom 2 of the safe is formed in a similar manner, and consists of a plate 45 (Fig. 5) which engages the turned over edge 45 of the flange 46 carried by the back 4, and a flange, similar to the flange 18, on the front, bottom member 5".

The back 4 consists of the plate member 44 having the top flange 17, the side flanges 43, and the bottom flange 46 are each provided with a turned over edge to form a groove adapted to interlock with plates to complete the top land bottom 2. The front 5 is made up of the members 5, 5, 5 5 each provided with an exterior flange having a turned up edge to provide a groove to receive the adjacent turned-up edges of the top and bottom plates 9 and 45 respectively (as shown in Fig. 8).

The turned over edges 47 of the bottom plate 45 (Fig. 5) interlocks with the turnedup edges 48 of the horizontal members 49 both side plates being alike. To. form a rear interior chamber 59, we provide a partition wall 60.

The door 6 comprises top and bottom jamb members 61, the top member only being shown in Fig. 8; and side jamb members 62, one only being shown in Fig. 9; a front plate 63 and back plate 64.

The front plate 63 is providedwith an 1 inwardly turned flange 64, turned over at its end 65 to provide a projection to enter a pocket 66 formed by a plate 67 secured to theGgange 20 having its end turned over .as at The side jamb member 62 carries a projecting portion 68 struck up therefrom to enter a pocket 69, struck up from the material of the jamb member or flange 20 of the front members 5.

The pockets 66 and 69 together with their coiiperating projections 65 and 68, constitute a baffle when the door is shut to prevent the passage of flame to the interior of the safe. To still further prevent the entrance of 115 flame we provide an interior door 7 0' made up of the plates 71 and 72, secured together to form a hollow structure which may be lined with any fire-proof material such as asbestos. The door 70 is hinged to the memnection, but nevertheless adapted to expand under the influence of heat. As there are no riveted or boltedv joints, the sides. top, bottom, front, or back, of the safe can expand or buckle withoutopening any seams through which flame can pass.

Furthermore, our improved connection will not breakshould the safe or "abinet tall; there is nothing to strip or shear; and, to still further protect the contents, the safe may be lined with some fire-proof material such as asbestos.

T he door is provided with a suitable lock, preferably a combination lock, but as this forms no part of our invention, we do not describe same in this specification.

Mani'festly; there are many methods of assembling the various parts which comprise the outer shell of our improved sate construction, before the welding of the corner flanges of the front and back. \Ye will set forth one method by way of eXample as follows: The body sheets, which consist of the sideplates, top, and bottom, with their respective turned-up grooved portions, forming engaging hooks, are interlocked with the turned-up grooved portions formed in the return flanges formed on the front members. Vi e then insert and slide the corner members forward so that the turned-up grooved portions of these corner members are interlocked with their contiguous turnedup grooved parts formed on what we have just called the body sheets. lVhen this has been completed the back is slipped over the sides, top, bottom and corner members until the turned-up grooved portions of the back pass over the grooved portions on the top, bottom and side plates, when the back is returned in an opposite direction until the grooved hooks of allthe parts are engaged and interlocked, and the whole outer shell construction shall have been snugly joined and fitted together. The final step consists in suitably welding the corners of the front and back to the corner members by means of the city-acetylene process, or any other suitable appliance.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of rectangular top, bottom and side members each having interlocking grooved hooks along their respective engaging edges, a rectangular front member having right-angled retrirn flanges provided with interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved books of said top, bottom and side members, a rectangular back member having right-angled return flanges provided with i'nteriorly disposed grooved hooks along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved books of said top,

bottom and side members, right -angled corner members having interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their longitudinal edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of the top, bottom and side members. and means for rigidly securing the ends of said corner members to the corners of the front and back members whereby all the component members of the safe are held together.

2. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of rectangular top, bottom and side members each having interlocking grooved hooks along their respective engaging edges, a rectangular front member comprising top, bottom and side portions each having rightangled return flanges provided with interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of said top, bottom and side members, a rectangular back member having right-angled return flanges provided with interiorly disposed hooks along their parallel edges interlockedwith the contiguous grooved hooks of said top, bottom and side members, right-angled corner members having interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their longitudinal edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of the top, bottom and side members, and means for rigidly securing the ends of said corner members to the corners of the front and back members whereby all the component parts of the safe are held together.

3. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of rectangular top, bottom and side members each having interlocking grooved hooks along their respective engaging edges, a rectangular front member having right-angled return. flanges provided with interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of said top, bottom and side members, a rectangular back member comprising top, bottom and side portions each having rightangled return flanges provided with interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of said top, bottom and side members, rightangled corner members having interlorly disposed grooved hooks along their longitudinal edges interlocked. with the contiguous grooved hooks of the top, bottom and side members, and means for rigidly securing the. ends of said corner members to the corners of the front and back members whereby all the component members of the safe are held together.

4. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of rectangular top, bottom and side members each having interlocking grooved hooks along their respective engaging edges, a rec tangular front member comprising top, bot tom and side portions each having rightangled return flanges provided with inte each having right-angled return flanges provided with interiorly disposed groovedhooks I along their parallel edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of said top, bottom and side members, right-angled corj ner members having interiorly disposed grooved hooks along their longitudinal edges interlocked with the contiguous grooved hooks of the top, bottom and side members, and means for rigidly securing the ends of said corner members to the corners :of the front and back members whereby all the component members of the safe-are held together. v i

5. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of a safe body having stepped top, bottom and side sheet-metal j amb members forming a door opening, each of said j amb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming hollow projections with adj acent pockets therein, and a door comprising stepped sheet-metal wall members and a sheet-metal outer front plate having a return flange with bent over portions integral therewith forming hollow projections and adjacent pockets therein, adapted to cooperate with the respective pockets and projections in said door opening to constitute a battle when said door is shut.

6. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of a safe bodyhaving stepped top, bottom and side sheet-metal j amb members forming a door opening, said top and bottom jamb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming outer pockets and inner hollow projections, said side jamb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming-outer hollow projections and inner pockets, said pockets and projections be1ng ad acent each other, and a door comprising stepped sheet-metal wall members and a sheet-metal outer front plate having a return flange with bent over portions integral therewith forming hollow projections and adjacent pockets therein adapted to cooperate with the respective pockets and pro jections in saiddoor opening to constitute a baffle when said door is shut.

7. In a'sheet-metal safe, the combination of a safe body having stepped top, bottom and side sheet-metal jamb members forming a door opening, said jamb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming adjacent pockets and hollow projections therein, and a door comprising a sheetmetal front plate having top and bottom inwardly turned flanges with bent over ends integral therewith forming hollow projec-.

tions and adjacent pockets, and stepped sheet-metal wall members having integrally formed hollow projections thereby providing adjacent pockets and projections adapted to cooperate with the respective projections and pockets in said door opening to constitute a baflle when said door is shut.

8. In a sheet-metal safe, the combination of a safe body having-stepped top, bottom and side sheet-metal j amb members forming a door opening, said top and bottom jamb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming outer pockets and. inner hollow projections, said side jamb members having bent over portions integral therewith forming outer hollow projections/and inner pockets said projections and pobkets being adjacent each other, and a door comprising a sheet-metal front plate having top and bottom inwardly-turned flanges with bent over ends integral therewith forming hollow projections and adjacent pockets and stepped sheet-metal wall members having integrally formed hollow projections thereby providing adjacent pockets and projections adapted to cooperate with the respectivez'projections and pockets in said door opening to constitute a baffle when said door is shut.

PAUL S. MILLICE. MARTIN MUELLER. 

